I was having dinner the other night with some old friends. The daughter of one friend is facing some uncertainty at her work, which got us talking about the twists and turns we’ve seen in our own careers, from mergers and acquisitions to mismanagement and misdeeds.
I’ve worked in publishing for almost 30 years now, and I’ve seen my share of ups and downs. My philosophy through it all has been to honestly assess the situation, accept that I’ll have to adjust to new circumstances and to take pride in what I do.
This industry has seen changes over the years, as well, but in this issue’s cover story (“A Century of Collette,” page 18) we profile tour operator Collette, which is celebrating an amazing milestone with its 100th anniversary.
Maintaining a successful business for a century shows a phenomenal ability to adapt — while still keeping a culture of success that can be been passed on from one generation of leaders to the next.
You can read about what has gone into Collette’s longevity in the story; part of their secret sauce is a fearless willingness to accept change and challenge themselves.
“Competition is healthy, and it keeps us on our edge to keep innovating and be different,” said Jaclyn Leibl-Cote, president of Collette. “We took risks throughout our 100 years to expand and broaden our portfolio, and it has been tremendous.”
Collette has shown how important it is not to rest on past assumptions, even when those plans have been successful. When business is good, the temptation is to hold on to the good times too long — often convincing yourself that they will continue indefinitely. In fact, it’s exactly when business is good that an organization needs to think about what changes they should be considering for the future.
No growth — in life or in business — is possible without challenging your assumptions and being open to change. Collette provides an example of all the good things that can happen when you focus on maintaining your core values, even as you evolve to new business realities. If you’re extremely fortunate, you might build something that will last long after you’re gone.
